Fitting rocker covers

[zubroka]

I have just put the engine back in my camper having replaced all the oil seals. I have a leak on both rocker covers still. So yesterday I put new seals in with a bit of blue silicone sealant. I left them 24 hours to cure and went out for a drive and they're leaking worse than ever!
What I want to know is what's the best way to sort the rocker covers out once and for all? Bolt on covers? It's been suggested that the Empi bolt on covers distort. Are the Scat ones from JK any good? Someone suggested buying new standard covers and seals, gluing the seals onto the covers before fitting with blue silicone......I've searched old posts, but I would love a definitive answer from an expert as to the best way to sort this out!

[faggie]

use genuine rocker covers anything else usually leaks , then i stick the cork gaskets to the rocker covers with hermetite you dont need much just enough to hold the gasket in place , dont use any sealant on the mating face as it could make its way into the engine and block an oilway , then hold rocker covers onto head and lever the metal clip over the rocker cover making shure you dont move the rocker cover upwards, it should be really tight i have always done it this way and never had a leak ,

[CovKid]

Agree on tightness of rocker clips. They do get weak over the years and you can buy new ones. They almost need a lever to pull them over if they're still up to the job. If you can pull them easily by hand then chances are they're not providing enough pressure to make a good seal.

[pionte]

As Faggi and Covkid advise, check the tightness of the clip,this would be my first port of call. Let us know how you get on

[zubroka]

The clips are still hard to get on...I need to use a little tool to lever them on. However the rocker covers themselves are a little distorted around the edges in places. I think I'll get new covers and gaskets and try again...I'll let you know what happens. Thanks for the advise!

[faggie]

only buy genuine rocker covers they are twice the weight of copies and have the vw stanp on them

[zubroka]

Right!
I got some new covers from JK, and new gaskets. I stuck the gasket to the cover with a little bit of hermetite red to stop them from slipping down. The new rocker covers were a much more snug fit, highlighting how bent, distorted and loose the old ones had become. The clips were quite hard to get over, but with a bit of determination and a little bit of careful levering they went on. The result is no more drips!
However, when fitting them I discovered it was not just the rocker cover leaking but I think one of the push rod tube seals has failed too, which is dripping oil onto the hot heat exchanger. SO....there's my next job....any advice?

[Aidan]

if it's just one leaking then use a two part expanding push rod tube to repair, genuine about £40 each I'm afraid, there are aftermarket ones available, cover off, rocker off, remove pushrod, remove leaky tube and seals (you'll shorten the tube in the process) then fit new seals and expanding tube, refit pushrod, rocker and rocker cover.

[porthyt]

Hi,

I know it's a super old post but what's the best method to tighten the clips. I don't have a vice though. Have new push rod seals, new rocker covers, new clips, new gaskets and it still leaks. I know the clips should be tight but I can move mine with my hand and annoyingly ditched the old super tight ones.

Any tips to bend the clips?

Cheers
Josh

[CovKid]

Don't think its possible. Fairly sure those clips are heat-treated which is why they fit so tightly.

[porthyt]

I thought I read somewhere that you bend them a little to make them tighter. Anyone have any old original ones kicking about?

[porthyt]

I know it sounds so simple but what is the tried, tested and most effective way of changing the rocker gasket. I have changed the cover, clip, gasket and used a combination of warming the gasket in warm water to make it more pliable, blue hylomar, nothing, smearing gasket and head with oil before installation and still it leaks from the bottom. What do you guys do? Should I leave the hylomar stuff to go off longer? Do you let it fit on the van for a while before starting it?

I find he gasket hard to get to fit if I don't get it moist beforehand but my local vw guy says I should fit it dry.

Thanks in anticipation.
Josh

[horizontal kipper]

On all the Aircooled vw's ive owned i just smear the cork gasket with a little grease on both sides as says in the john muir bible. Never had a problem.

[CovKid]

100% on that. I've worked on Volkswagens for well over 28 years and never used sealant on cork gaskets, nor should you. What can happen is the gasket gets dislodged as it is fitted and that can create a leak, but if cover is straight, clips are strong, and you use light coat of oil, no way will it leak.

If you're resorting to hylomar, something is definately wrong (poor gasket,knackered spring and/or distorted cover), or the leak is from pushrod tubes or further up.

[porthyt]

Thanks guys. Is this with a completely dry gasket? It is hard to get it into shape. What type of grease as il have to go buy some. It seems as though the same bit of the rocker gasket sort of has pooled oil on the gasket and that's where it leaks. I wonder whether the cover is distorted, it's brand new though. Changed the pushrods tubes and seals all round.

Cheers
Josh